Federal Member for Monash, Mr Russell Broadbent, is calling for a review of the Australian Government’s ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy, saying it is discriminatory and punishes families for personal health choices.

In an online speech, Broadbent tells of the hundreds of Australian families who have contacted him regarding the ‘unfair’ and ‘un-Australian’ policy that penalises parents and carers for individualised health choices made for their children.

Under the policy, parents of children that do not meet the Department of Health’s list of required early childhood vaccinations are ineligible to receive the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and they also have their Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A reduced. These are payments which are built into the tax system to help parents with the costs of raising children.

Broadbent was shocked to learn the extent to which Australian families are being affected, with one family missing out on up to $90,000 in FTB payments over 10 years, for not vaccinating their children. In addition, families who are not eligible to receive childcare subsidy due to their immunisation status, run the risk of being unable to attend childcare altogether under state-based ‘No Jab, No Play’ policies.

The government’s website admits this policy is punitive, stating “Rather than offering an incentive payment for families to immunise children, these requirements apply a financial penalty for those whose children are not immunised.”

Broadbent has been flooded with letters and emails highlighting the heartbreaking impacts this policy is having on Australian families, especially women and single mothers, who cannot afford to return to work due to these penalties.

“In my view, removing a child’s right to attend childcare or removing a parent’s right to FTB because of a child’s vaccination status is an outright violation of human rights,” says Broadbent. “What happened to the ethical guidelines that state “vaccines must be given with informed consent – without coercion, manipulation or pressure?”

Last week, Broadbent indicated he would seek to repeal the legislation and put out a call encouraging people to contact him with their stories. He said, “We need an army of people so we can address this matter.”

Mr Broadbent can be contacted at: [email protected]